Medication is often dispensed using a medicine cartridge, such as a syringe, having a barrel with a needle extending from one end and a plunger slidably inserted into the other end. Such cartridges are often referred to as “pre-filled syringes” because they may contain a specific dosage or volume of medication when they are initially provided, as compared to conventional syringes that are furnished empty and filled by the user before making an injection.
Alternatively, a medicine cartridge may be used, such as an ampoule or vial, that includes a penetrable seal instead of a needle on one end of the barrel, and/or a piston rather than a plunger on the other end. Such medicine cartridges are generally inserted into an adapter that includes a hollow body adapted to hold the cartridge, a plunger to engage and move the piston in the cartridge, and a double-ended needle to penetrate the seal and communicate with the interior of the barrel.
Because of the risk of communicable diseases, a number of syringes and adapters have been developed that are intended to prevent accidental needle sticks and/or inadvertent reuse of a syringe. Retractable needle devices have been suggested for this purpose that include a cartridge that allows a needle of the cartridge to be withdrawn into the barrel after medication is dispensed from it. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,316 discloses a syringe including a barrel having a needle assembly that is slidable within the barrel between an exposed position such that a needle on the assembly extends from the barrel and a retracted position wherein the needle assembly is withdrawn into the barrel. The needle assembly is initially locked in the exposed position, but may be disengaged upon depression of the plunger, whereupon a spring biases the assembly towards the retracted position, thereby withdrawing the needle into the barrel.
Alternatively, syringe holders have been suggested that include a body within which a conventional syringe or cartridge may be received, and a shield that is manually slidable with respect to the body to cover the needle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,366 which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a self-shielding guard that includes a body having an open proximal end for inserting a syringe into a cavity within the body, and a distal end with an opening through which a needle on the syringe may extend once received in the body. A shield is slidable over the body between retracted and extended positions to expose and cover the needle, respectively. With the shield in the retracted position and the needle exposed, an injection may be made, and then the shield may be manually advanced to the extended position. In the extended position, cooperating detents and detent pockets on the body and shield substantially permanently lock together, thereby preventing reuse of the needle, reducing the risk of accidental needle sticks, and/or facilitating disposal of the syringe.
As an alternative to requiring manual extension of a shield to cover a needle, spring-loaded devices have also been developed. These devices often include a body and slidable shield, similar to the manual devices described above, but also may include a spring element to bias the shield to advance and cover the needle. An actuator, such as a button or lever, may be activated by the user to release the shield, thereby allowing the spring element to advance the shield to cover the needle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,475 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,447 disclose spring-loaded syringe devices that include inner and outer sliding sleeves that include a button slidable in a longitudinal slot to selectively expose and cover a needle on the devices. A spring in the devices biases one of the sleeves to extend and cover the needle, but this bias may be manually overcome to expose the needle. Thus, these devices may not lock the extending sleeve in a covered position, and therefore may risk accidental needle exposure and/or reuse of the needle. In addition, although these devices are spring-driven, their shields may not extend unless they are manually activated by using a button, and therefore are not truly “passive,” but require an affirmative decision by a user to activate their safety feature.
Improved automatic syringe and guard assemblies have been developed comprising a body for receiving a syringe, and a guard or shield slideably disposed on the body, and further including detents for maintaining the shield in a first position in which a needle of the syringe is exposed for use, and in a second position covering the needle after use. A suitable spring is disposed between the body and guard to bias the guard and body to the second position. Several examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,623,459 and 6,613,022.